| 1. |
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| 2. |
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| 3. |
- Beal, Jacob, et al.
(author)
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Robust estimation of bacterial cell count from optical density
- 2020
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In: Communications Biology. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 2399-3642. ; 3:1
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Optical density (OD) is widely used to estimate the density of cells in liquid culture, but cannot be compared between instruments without a standardized calibration protocol and is challenging to relate to actual cell count. We address this with an interlaboratory study comparing three simple, low-cost, and highly accessible OD calibration protocols across 244 laboratories, applied to eight strains of constitutive GFP-expressing E. coli. Based on our results, we recommend calibrating OD to estimated cell count using serial dilution of silica microspheres, which produces highly precise calibration (95.5% of residuals <1.2-fold), is easily assessed for quality control, also assesses instrument effective linear range, and can be combined with fluorescence calibration to obtain units of Molecules of Equivalent Fluorescein (MEFL) per cell, allowing direct comparison and data fusion with flow cytometry measurements: in our study, fluorescence per cell measurements showed only a 1.07-fold mean difference between plate reader and flow cytometry data.
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| 4. |
- Chang, Chiao-Nien, et al.
(author)
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The Design, Structure–Activity, and Kinetic Studies of 3-Benzyl-5-oxa-1,2,3,4-Tetrahydro-2H-chromeno-(3,4-c)pyridin-8-yl Sulfamates as Steroid Sulfatase Inhibitors
- 2022
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In: Bioorganic chemistry. - : Elsevier BV. - 0045-2068.
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Steroid sulfatase inhibitors block the local production of estrogenic steroids and are attractive agents for the treatment of estrogen-dependent cancers. Inspiration of coumarin-based inhibitors, we synthesized thirty-two 5-oxa-1,2,3,4-tetrahydro-2H-chromeno-(3,4-c)pyridin-8-yl sulfamates, focusing on the substitution derivatives on the adjacent phenyl ring and evaluated their abilities to block STS from human placenta and MCF-7 cells. SAR analysis revealed that the incorporation of chlorine at either meta and/or para position of the adjacent phenyl ring of the tricyclic skeleton enhanced STS inhibition. Di-substitutions at the adjacent phenyl ring were superior to mono and tri-substitutions. Further kinetic analysis of these compounds revealed that chloride-bearing compounds, such as 19m, 19v, and 19w, had KI of 0.02 to 0.11 nM and kinact/KI ratios of 8.8-17.5 nM-1min-1, a parameter indicated for the efficiency of irreversible inhibition. We also used the docking model to illustrate the difference in STS inhibitory potency of compounds. Finally, the safety and anti-cancer activity of selected compounds 19m, 19v, and 19w were also studied, showing the results of low cytotoxicity on NHDF cell line and being more potent than irosustat on ZR-75-1 cell, which was a hormone-dependent cancer cell line with high STS expression.
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| 5. |
- Chiu, Pei-Fang, et al.
(author)
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Design, structure–activity relationships, and enzyme kinetic studies of tricyclic and tetracyclic coumarin–based sulfamates as steroid sulfatase inhibitors
- 2023
-
In: Bioorganic chemistry. - : Elsevier BV. - 0045-2068. ; 138, s. 106581-106581
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Inhibition of steroid sulfatase (STS) decreases estrogen production and thus, suppresses tumor proliferation. Inspired by irosustat, the first STS inhibitor in clinical trials, we explored twenty-one tricyclic and tetra-heterocyclic coumarin–based derivatives. Their STS enzyme kinetic parameters, docking models, and cytotoxicity toward breast cancer and normal cells were evaluated. Tricyclic derivative 9e and tetracyclic derivative 10c were the most promising irreversible inhibitors developed in this study, with KI of 0.05 and 0.4 nM, and kinact/KI ratios of 28.6 and 19.1 nM−1min−1 on human placenta STS, respectively.
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| 6. |
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| 7. |
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| 8. |
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| 9. |
- Chen, Nai-Chen, 1985-, et al.
(author)
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Controlling factors on patterns of dissolved organic carbon and volatile fatty acids in a submarine mud volcano offshore southwestern Taiwan
- 2023
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In: Frontiers in Earth Science. - 2296-6463. ; 11
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and volatile fatty acids (VFAs) play key roles in the carbon cycling of marine sediment. Both microbially or thermally activated cracking of organic matter often produces high quantities of DOC and VFAs. To uncover the distribution pattern of DOC and VFAs in sediments under both impacts, a submarine mud volcano (SMV), was chosen to denote a model system that could witness how microbial activities react under the mixing of seawater and deeply-sourced fluids in a subsurface environment. We examined the concentration profiles of DOC and several VFAs (lactate, formate, acetate, propionate, and butyrate) in pore water, covering both sulfate reduction and methanogenesis zones, and further numerically modeled six porewater species (DOC, bromide, calcium, magnesium, ammonium, and total alkalinity) to quantify their fluxes from depth as well as the rates of in-situ microbial processes. Apparently, bulk DOC concentrations fluctuated with depths, probably primarily controlled by in situ microbial processes. Lactate was detectable in some samples, while propionate and butyrate were under detection limit. Acetate and formate concentrations were consistently and uniformly low throughout all biogeochemical zones, with a slightly increasing trend with depth at the center of the SMV, suggesting active utilization and turnover by the terminal steps of organic matter mineralization. The numerical modeling suggests that most DOC patterns were primarily influenced by in-situ organic matter degradation, while the impact of upward migrating fluid become more significant at center sites. The calculation of the Gibbs energy of metabolic redox reactions reveals that acetoclastic sulfate reduction yields the highest energy throughout sediment columns and may co-exist with methanogenesis below sulfate reduction zone. In contrast, acetoclastic methanogenesis yields higher energy within sulfate reduction zone than below that region, suggesting it is thermodynamically feasible to co-occur with sulfate reduction in dynamic SMV environments.
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| 10. |
- Lind, Lars, et al.
(author)
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Heterogeneous contributions of change in population distribution of body mass index to change in obesity and underweight NCD Risk Factor Collaboration (NCD-RisC)
- 2021
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In: eLife. - : eLife Sciences Publications Ltd. - 2050-084X. ; 10
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- From 1985 to 2016, the prevalence of underweight decreased, and that of obesity and severe obesity increased, in most regions, with significant variation in the magnitude of these changes across regions. We investigated how much change in mean body mass index (BMI) explains changes in the prevalence of underweight, obesity, and severe obesity in different regions using data from 2896 population-based studies with 187 million participants. Changes in the prevalence of underweight and total obesity, and to a lesser extent severe obesity, are largely driven by shifts in the distribution of BMI, with smaller contributions from changes in the shape of the distribution. In East and Southeast Asia and sub-Saharan Africa, the underweight tail of the BMI distribution was left behind as the distribution shifted. There is a need for policies that address all forms of malnutrition by making healthy foods accessible and affordable, while restricting unhealthy foods through fiscal and regulatory restrictions.
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| 11. |
- Weinstein, John N., et al.
(author)
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The cancer genome atlas pan-cancer analysis project
- 2013
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In: Nature Genetics. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1546-1718 .- 1061-4036. ; 45:10, s. 1113-1120
-
Research review (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) Research Network has profiled and analyzed large numbers of human tumors to discover molecular aberrations at the DNA, RNA, protein and epigenetic levels. The resulting rich data provide a major opportunity to develop an integrated picture of commonalities, differences and emergent themes across tumor lineages. The Pan-Cancer initiative compares the first 12 tumor types profiled by TCGA. Analysis of the molecular aberrations and their functional roles across tumor types will teach us how to extend therapies effective in one cancer type to others with a similar genomic profile. © 2013 Nature America, Inc. All rights reserved.
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| 12. |
- Chen, Pei Jung, et al.
(author)
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Visualizing Local Superconductivity of NbTiN Nanowires to Probe Inhomogeneity in Single-Photon Detectors
- 2024
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In: ACS Applied Optical Materials. - : American Chemical Society (ACS). - 2771-9855. ; 2:1, s. 68-75
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- NbTiN has a high critical temperature (Tc) of up to 17 K, making it a great candidate for superconducting nanowire single-photon detectors (SNSPDs) and other applications requiring a bias current close to the depairing current. However, superconducting inhomogeneities are often observed in superconducting thin films, and superconducting inhomogeneities can influence the vortex nucleation barrier and furthermore affect the critical current Ic of a superconducting wire. Superconducting inhomogeneities can also result in stochastic variations in the critical current between identical devices, and therefore, it is crucial to have a detailed understanding of inhomogeneities in SNSPDs in order to improve device efficiency. In this study, we utilized scanning tunneling microscopy/spectroscopy (STM/STS) to investigate the inhomogeneity of superconducting properties in meandered NbTiN nanowires, which are commonly used in SNSPDs. Our findings show that variations in the superconducting gap are strongly correlated with the film thickness. By using time-dependent Ginzburg-Landau simulations and statistical modeling, we explored the implications of the reduction in the critical current and its sample-to-sample variations. Our study suggests that the thickness of NbTiN plays a critical role in achieving homogeneity in superconducting properties.
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| 13. |
- Clark, Andrew G., et al.
(author)
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Evolution of genes and genomes on the Drosophila phylogeny
- 2007
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In: Nature. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 0028-0836 .- 1476-4687. ; 450:7167, s. 203-218
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Comparative analysis of multiple genomes in a phylogenetic framework dramatically improves the precision and sensitivity of evolutionary inference, producing more robust results than single-genome analyses can provide. The genomes of 12 Drosophila species, ten of which are presented here for the first time (sechellia, simulans, yakuba, erecta, ananassae, persimilis, willistoni, mojavensis, virilis and grimshawi), illustrate how rates and patterns of sequence divergence across taxa can illuminate evolutionary processes on a genomic scale. These genome sequences augment the formidable genetic tools that have made Drosophila melanogaster a pre-eminent model for animal genetics, and will further catalyse fundamental research on mechanisms of development, cell biology, genetics, disease, neurobiology, behaviour, physiology and evolution. Despite remarkable similarities among these Drosophila species, we identified many putatively non-neutral changes in protein-coding genes, non-coding RNA genes, and cis-regulatory regions. These may prove to underlie differences in the ecology and behaviour of these diverse species.
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| 14. |
- Haycock, Philip C., et al.
(author)
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Association Between Telomere Length and Risk of Cancer and Non-Neoplastic Diseases A Mendelian Randomization Study
- 2017
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In: JAMA Oncology. - : American Medical Association. - 2374-2437 .- 2374-2445. ; 3:5, s. 636-651
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- IMPORTANCE: The causal direction and magnitude of the association between telomere length and incidence of cancer and non-neoplastic diseases is uncertain owing to the susceptibility of observational studies to confounding and reverse causation. OBJECTIVE: To conduct a Mendelian randomization study, using germline genetic variants as instrumental variables, to appraise the causal relevance of telomere length for risk of cancer and non-neoplastic diseases. DATA SOURCES: Genomewide association studies (GWAS) published up to January 15, 2015. STUDY SELECTION: GWAS of noncommunicable diseases that assayed germline genetic variation and did not select cohort or control participants on the basis of preexisting diseases. Of 163 GWAS of noncommunicable diseases identified, summary data from 103 were available. DATA EXTRACTION AND SYNTHESIS: Summary association statistics for single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) that are strongly associated with telomere length in the general population. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for disease per standard deviation (SD) higher telomere length due to germline genetic variation. RESULTS: Summary data were available for 35 cancers and 48 non-neoplastic diseases, corresponding to 420 081 cases (median cases, 2526 per disease) and 1 093 105 controls (median, 6789 per disease). Increased telomere length due to germline genetic variation was generally associated with increased risk for site-specific cancers. The strongest associations (ORs [ 95% CIs] per 1-SD change in genetically increased telomere length) were observed for glioma, 5.27 (3.15-8.81); serous low-malignant-potential ovarian cancer, 4.35 (2.39-7.94); lung adenocarcinoma, 3.19 (2.40-4.22); neuroblastoma, 2.98 (1.92-4.62); bladder cancer, 2.19 (1.32-3.66); melanoma, 1.87 (1.55-2.26); testicular cancer, 1.76 (1.02-3.04); kidney cancer, 1.55 (1.08-2.23); and endometrial cancer, 1.31 (1.07-1.61). Associations were stronger for rarer cancers and at tissue sites with lower rates of stem cell division. There was generally little evidence of association between genetically increased telomere length and risk of psychiatric, autoimmune, inflammatory, diabetic, and other non-neoplastic diseases, except for coronary heart disease (OR, 0.78 [ 95% CI, 0.67-0.90]), abdominal aortic aneurysm (OR, 0.63 [ 95% CI, 0.49-0.81]), celiac disease (OR, 0.42 [ 95% CI, 0.28-0.61]) and interstitial lung disease (OR, 0.09 [ 95% CI, 0.05-0.15]). CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: It is likely that longer telomeres increase risk for several cancers but reduce risk for some non-neoplastic diseases, including cardiovascular diseases.
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| 15. |
- Kang, Lin-Ju, et al.
(author)
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Development and usability of an app-based instrument of participation in children with disabilities
- 2023
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In: Scandinavian Journal of Occupational Therapy. - : Taylor & Francis. - 1103-8128 .- 1651-2014. ; 30:3, s. 322-333
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Background: Picture My Participation (PmP) is a picture-supported child-report instrument of participation of children with disabilities.Aims: This study described the development of a mobile application of the PmP Traditional Chinese version (PmP-C) and evaluated its usability.Methods: The PmP-C App includes features that allow the input of a child’s demographics, identification of frequency and involvement of 22 culturally appropriate activities, selection of the three most important activities and the specification of the environmental facilitators and barriers. The usability test was conducted with 10 healthcare workers, who interviewed 10 children with disabilities aged 6–12 years. The healthcare workers completed a usability questionnaire and were asked to provide feedback on the ease of use, learning, satisfaction and perceived usefulness.Results: The mean score for the usability questionnaire ranged from 2.7 to 4.6 out of 5.0. The feedback indicated that the interface was simple to operate by the healthcare workers and was attractive and motivating to children. Improvements of layout design, operation instructions and technical problems were recommended, which contributed to the app program optimization.Conclusions: The PmP-C App provides a practical tool with initial support for usability to enable active engagement and communication of children with disabilities with healthcare providers.
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| 16. |
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| 17. |
- Luo, Yifei, et al.
(author)
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Technology Roadmap for Flexible Sensors
- 2023
-
In: ACS Nano. - : American Chemical Society. - 1936-0851 .- 1936-086X. ; 17:6, s. 5211-5295
-
Research review (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Humans rely increasingly on sensors to address grand challenges and to improve quality of life in the era of digitalization and big data. For ubiquitous sensing, flexible sensors are developed to overcome the limitations of conventional rigid counterparts. Despite rapid advancement in bench-side research over the last decade, the market adoption of flexible sensors remains limited. To ease and to expedite their deployment, here, we identify bottlenecks hindering the maturation of flexible sensors and propose promising solutions. We first analyze challenges in achieving satisfactory sensing performance for real-world applications and then summarize issues in compatible sensor-biology interfaces, followed by brief discussions on powering and connecting sensor networks. Issues en route to commercialization and for sustainable growth of the sector are also analyzed, highlighting environmental concerns and emphasizing nontechnical issues such as business, regulatory, and ethical considerations. Additionally, we look at future intelligent flexible sensors. In proposing a comprehensive roadmap, we hope to steer research efforts towards common goals and to guide coordinated development strategies from disparate communities. Through such collaborative efforts, scientific breakthroughs can be made sooner and capitalized for the betterment of humanity.
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| 18. |
- Mao, W, et al.
(author)
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Bupi Yishen Formula Versus Losartan for Non-Diabetic Stage 4 Chronic Kidney Disease: A Randomized Controlled Trial
- 2021
-
In: Frontiers in pharmacology. - : Frontiers Media SA. - 1663-9812. ; 11, s. 627185-
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Chinese herbal medicine (CHM) might have benefits in patients with non-diabetic chronic kidney disease (CKD), but there is a lack of high-quality evidence, especially in CKD4. This study aimed to assess the efficacy and safety of Bupi Yishen Formula (BYF) vs. losartan in patients with non-diabetic CKD4. This trial was a multicenter, double-blind, double-dummy, randomized controlled trial that was carried out from 11-08-2011 to 07-20-2015. Patients were assigned (1:1) to receive either BYF or losartan for 48 weeks. The primary outcome was the change in the slope of the estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) over 48 weeks. The secondary outcomes were the composite of end-stage kidney disease, death, doubling of serum creatinine, stroke, and cardiovascular events. A total of 567 patients were randomized to BYF (n = 283) or losartan (n = 284); of these, 549 (97%) patients were included in the final analysis. The BYF group had a slower renal function decline particularly prior to 12 weeks over the 48-week duration (between-group mean difference of eGFR slopes: −2.25 ml/min/1.73 m2/year, 95% confidence interval [CI]: −4.03,−0.47), and a lower risk of composite outcome of death from any cause, doubling of serum creatinine level, end-stage kidney disease (ESKD), stroke, or cardiovascular events (adjusted hazard ratio = 0.61, 95%CI: 0.44,0.85). No significant between-group differences were observed in the incidence of adverse events. We conclude that BYF might have renoprotective effects among non-diabetic patients with CKD4 in the first 12 weeks and over 48 weeks, but longer follow-up is required to evaluate the long-term effects.Clinical Trial Registration:http://www.chictr.org.cn, identifier ChiCTR-TRC-10001518.
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| 19. |
- Sun, Xu, et al.
(author)
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Chinese Herbal Medicine as Adjunctive Therapy to Chemotherapy for Breast Cancer : A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
- 2016
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In: Evidence-based Complementary and Alternative Medicine. - : Hindawi Limited. - 1741-427X .- 1741-4288.
-
Research review (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Chinese herbal medicine (CHM) has been increasingly employed during therapy for breast cancer, but its efficacy remains a matter of debate. This systematic review examined randomized controlled trials to provide a critical evaluation of this treatment. The results demonstrated that the combined use of CHM with chemotherapy may improve the immediate tumor response and reduce chemotherapy-associated adverse events. Our findings highlight the poor quality of Chinese studies, and additional well-designed randomized controlled trials addressing the role of CHM are warranted. The lack of molecular-based evidence for CHM and Zheng has resulted in a limited understanding and acceptance of CHM and traditional Chinese medicine in Western countries. We believe that researchers should immediately explore a CHM-based cure, and CHM should be applied to routine care as soon as conclusive data are available.
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| 20. |
- Tu, Chien Ming, et al.
(author)
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Helicity-dependent terahertz emission spectroscopy of topological insulator S b2 T e3 thin films
- 2017
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In: Physical Review B. - 2469-9950. ; 96:19
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- We report on helicity-dependent terahertz emissions that originate from the helicity-dependent photocurrents in topological insulator Sb2Te3 thin films due to ultrafast optical excitation. The polarity of the emitted terahertz radiation is controlled by both the incident angle and the helicity of optical pulses. Using an unprecedented decomposition-recombination procedure in the time domain, the signals of the Dirac fermions are fully separated from bulk contributions. These results provide insights into the optical coupling of topological surface states and open up opportunities for applying helicity-dependent terahertz emission spectroscopy in spintronics.
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| 21. |
- Tu, Chien Ming, et al.
(author)
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Helicity-dependent terahertz radiation from topological insulator Sb2Te3 thin film by femtosecond optical excitation
- 2016
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In: 41st International Conference on Infrared, Millimeter and Terahertz Waves, IRMMW-THz 2016. - 9781467384858
-
Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
- We report on terahertz radiation from topological insulator (TI) Sb2Te3 thin film under ultrafast optical excitation with different helicity. Polarity-reversals of the emitted THz radiation were observed as the helicity of optical pulses reversed. The observed phenomena are coincident with the characteristics of the helicity-dependent photocurrent on TIs. Our work demonstrates the potential applications of surface photocurrents on TIs for opto-spintronics devices.
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| 22. |
- Xu, Hai-Sen, et al.
(author)
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Single crystal of a one-dimensional metallo-covalent organic framework
- 2020
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In: Nature Communications. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 2041-1723. ; 11:1
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Although polymers have been studied for well over a century, there are few examples of covalently linked polymer crystals synthesised directly from solution. One-dimensional (1D) covalent polymers that are packed into a framework structure can be viewed as a 1D covalent organic framework (COF), but making a single crystal of this has been elusive. Herein, by combining labile metal coordination and dynamic covalent chemistry, we discover a strategy to synthesise single-crystal metallo-COFs under solvothermal conditions. The single-crystal structure is rigorously solved using single-crystal electron diffraction technique. The non-centrosymmetric metallo-COF allows second harmonic generation. Due to the presence of syntactic pendant amine groups along the polymer chains, the metallopolymer crystal can be further cross-linked into a crystalline woven network. Although polymers have been studied for well over a century, there are few examples of covalently linked polymer crystals synthesized directly from solution. Here, the authors demonstrate a strategy to synthesize single crystalline 1D metallo-covalent organic frameworks by combining dynamic covalent chemistry and metal-ligand coordination.
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| 23. |
- Yang, Xun, et al.
(author)
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Diamond Based Optical Metasurfaces for Broadband Wavefront Shaping in Harsh Environment
- 2024
-
In: Laser and Photonics Reviews. - 1863-8899 .- 1863-8880. ; In Press
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Metasurface enables a new class of “meta-optics” that can manipulate light at subwavelength scale. Despite that versatile metasurfaces have been demonstrated based on a wide range of materials, the vulnerability of conventional materials to harsh environments, i.e., low resistance to corrosion, low transparency at short wavelength, and lack of thermal/mechanical stability, greatly limit their applications in extreme conditions. Diamond is well-known for exceptional properties, including the highest thermal conductivity, high damage resistance, extraordinary hardness, and chemical inertness. Therefore, diamond based metasurface is generally expected to benefit from its material merits for extreme use. However, the performance of diamond metasurface in harsh environments remains unexplored up to date. To address this question, this work is designed to study the suitability of single-crystal diamond based metasurface for broadband applications under harsh environments. As an example, diamond metasurfaces with representative functionalities, including holographic wavefront-shaping, DUV-focusing, are investigated under high-temperature, acid/alkali, and abrasive conditions, respectively. The findings prove the capability of diamond metasurfaces for applications in broadband and harsh conditions, which not only provides a practical and scalable scheme to encode on-demand functionalities into diamond, but also unlocks a capable candidate to develop robust, large bandwidth, and durable meta-optics for advanced wavefront shaping under extreme conditions.
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| 24. |
- Abercrombie, Daniel, et al.
(author)
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Dark Matter benchmark models for early LHC Run-2 Searches : Report of the ATLAS/CMS Dark Matter Forum
- 2020
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In: Physics of the Dark Universe. - : Elsevier BV. - 2212-6864. ; 27
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- This document is the final report of the ATLAS-CMS Dark Matter Forum, a forum organized by the ATLAS and CMS collaborations with the participation of experts on theories of Dark Matter, to select a minimal basis set of dark matter simplified models that should support the design of the early LHC Run-2 searches. A prioritized, compact set of benchmark models is proposed, accompanied by studies of the parameter space of these models and a repository of generator implementations. This report also addresses how to apply the Effective Field Theory formalism for collider searches and present the results of such interpretations.
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| 25. |
- Chen, I-Hua, et al.
(author)
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Motors of COVID-19 Vaccination Acceptance Scale (MoVac-COVID19S) : Evidence of Measurement Invariance Across Five Countries
- 2022
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In: Risk Management and Healthcare Policy. - : DOVE MEDICAL PRESS LTD. - 1179-1594. ; 15, s. 435-445
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Purpose: The percentage of individuals who were fully vaccinated against COVID-19 was 53% worldwide, 62% in Asia, and 11% in Africa at the time of writing (February 9, 2022). In addition to administrative issues, vaccine hesitancy is an important factor contributing to the relatively low rate of vaccination. The Motors of COVID-19 Vaccination Acceptance Scale (MoVac-COVID19S) was developed to assess COVID-19 vaccination acceptance levels. However, it has only been tested among Taiwanese, mainland Chinese, and Ghanaian populations (Chen et al, 2021; Fan et al, 2021; Yeh et al, 2021). Therefore, the present study examined the construct validity and measurement invariance of the MoVac-COVID19S among individuals from five countries (ie, Taiwan, mainland China, India, Ghana, and Afghanistan). Participants and Methods: A cross-sectional survey study recruited 6053 participants across five countries who completed the survey between January and March 2021. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) fit indices were used to examine factor structure and measurement invariance across the five countries. Results: The fit indices of the CFA were relatively good across the countries except for the root mean square error of approximation (RMSEA). Moreover, the four-factor structure (either nine or 12 items) had a better fit than the one-factor structure. However, the four-factor model using nine MoVac-COVID19S items was the only model that had measurement invariance support for both factor loadings and item intercepts across the five countries. Conclusion: The present study confirmed that the MoVac-COVID19S has acceptable psychometric properties and can be used to assess an individual's willingness to get COVID-19 vaccination.
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| 26. |
- Chen, Yu-Pin, et al.
(author)
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Prognostic factors for 1-year functional outcome, quality of life, care demands, and mortality after surgery in Taiwanese geriatric patients with a hip fracture : a prospective cohort study
- 2021
-
In: Therapeutic Advances in Musculoskeletal Disease. - : Sage Publications. - 1759-7218 .- 1759-720X. ; 13
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Background: Hip fractures are a major public health concern among elderly individuals. This study aimed to investigate potential perioperative factors that predict 1-year functional outcome, quality of life (QoL), care demands, and mortality in geriatric patients with a hip fracture.Methods: We prospectively enrolled geriatric patients who had undergone hip fracture surgery in one medical center from December 2017 to December 2019. Basic demographic data, handgrip strength, and responses to questionnaires for QoL and activities of daily living (ADL) before the injury were collected at baseline. QoL, ADL, additional care demands other than family support, and mortality events were monitored at 1 year after the operation.Results: Among 281 patients with a hip fracture, 39 (13.9%) died within 1 year of the index operation. The mean follow-up interval for the survivors was 403.3 (range: 358–480) days. Among the 242 survivors, ADL and QoL considerably decreased at approximately 1 year following hip surgery. Up to 33.9% of the participants became severely dependent and needed additional care at 1-year follow up. Prefracture ADL status was the crucial predictor for functional outcome, QoL, and additional care demand at 1-year follow up. Cox regression models indicated that male sex, low preoperative serum creatinine, handgrip strength, long surgical delay after a falling accident, and high Charlson Comorbidity Index were considerably associated with a high 1-year mortality risk in the geriatric hip fracture population.Conclusion: Hip fracture has long-lasting effects (e.g. functional loss, decline in QoL, increased care demands, and high postoperative mortality rate) on the geriatric population. A robust screening method must be developed for identifying potential prognostic factors, and a stratified care approach must be used that accounts for personalized risks to improve functional outcomes and reduce mortality after hip fracture in geriatric patients, especially in Taiwan.
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| 27. |
- Cheng, Hao-Wen, et al.
(author)
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Realizing Efficient Charge/Energy Transfer and Charge Extraction in Fullerene-Free Organic Photovoltaics via a Versatile Third Component
- 2019
-
In: Nano letters (Print). - : AMER CHEMICAL SOC. - 1530-6984 .- 1530-6992. ; 19:8, s. 5053-5061
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Solution-processed organic photovoltaics (OPVs) based on bulk-heterojunctions have gained significant attention to alleviate the increasing demend of fossil fuel in the past two decades. OPVs combined of a wide bandgap polymer donor and a narrow bandgap nonfullerene acceptor show potential to achieve high performance. However, there are still two reasons to limit the OPVs performance. One, although this combination can expand from the ultraviolet to the near-infrared region, the overall external quantum efficiency of the device suffers low values. The other one is the low open-circuit voltage (V-OC) of devices resulting from the relatively downshifted lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (LUMO) of the narrow bandgap. Herein, the approach to select and incorporate a versatile third component into the active layer is reported. A third component with a bandgap larger than that of the acceptor, and absorption spectra and LUMO levels lying within that of the donor and acceptor, is demonstrated to be effective to conquer these issues. As a result, the power conversion efficiencies (PCEs) are enhanced by the elevated short-circuit current and V-OC; the champion PCEs are 11.1% and 13.1% for PTB7-Th:IEICO-4F based and PBDB-T:Y1 based solar cells, respectively.
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| 28. |
- Chiang, Yueh-Tao, et al.
(author)
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Developing the "Healthcare CEO App" for patients with type 1 diabetes transitioning from adolescence to young adulthood: A mixed-methods study.
- 2023
-
In: Nursing open. - : Wiley. - 2054-1058. ; 10:3
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- To develop and test a mobile application that supports the disease self-management of adolescents with type 1 diabetes during their transition to early adulthood.A sequential mixed-methods design was employed.The application content was designed according to previously identified care needs and expectations, followed by application development on the Android operating system. From the outpatient clinic of the Department of Paediatric Endocrinology and Metabolism at a medical centre in northern Taiwan, 35 individuals aged between 16-25years participated in application testing.The overall median score of the QUIS was 4-5, most of the 25% quartile was 4-5, and all of the 75% quartile was 5, indicating adequate user interaction satisfaction.
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| 29. |
- Dietrich, Andreas, et al.
(author)
-
Analysis of genes encoding laminin beta 2 and related proteins in patients with Galloway-Mowat syndrome
- 2008
-
In: Pediatric Nephrology. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1432-198X .- 0931-041X. ; 23:10, s. 1779-1786
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Galloway-Mowat syndrome (GMS) is a rare autosomal recessive disorder characterized by early onset nephrotic syndrome and microcephaly with various anomalies of the central nervous system. GMS likely represents a heterogeneous group of disorders with hitherto unknown genetic etiology. The clinical phenotype to some extent overlaps that of Pierson syndrome (PS), which comprises congenital nephrotic syndrome and distinct ocular abnormalities but which may also include neurodevelopmental deficits and microcephaly. PS is caused by mutations of LAMB2, the gene encoding laminin beta 2. We hypothesized that GMS might be allelic to PS or be caused by defects in proteins that interact with laminin beta 2. In a cohort of 18 patients with GMS or a GMS-like phenotype we therefore analyzed the genes encoding laminin beta 2 (LAMB2), laminin alpha 5 (LAMA5), alpha 3-integrin (ITGA3), beta 1-integrin (ITGB1) and alpha-actinin-4 (ACTN4), but we failed to find causative mutations in these genes. We inferred that LAMA5, ITGA3, ITGB1, and ACTN4 are not directly involved in the pathogenesis of GMS. We excluded LAMB2 as a candidate gene for GMS. Further studies are required, including linkage analysis in families with GMS to identify genes underlying this disease.
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| 30. |
- Ganesh, Santhi K., et al.
(author)
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Loci influencing blood pressure identified using a cardiovascular gene-centric array
- 2013
-
In: Human Molecular Genetics. - : Oxford University Press (OUP). - 0964-6906 .- 1460-2083. ; 22:8, s. 1663-1678
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Blood pressure (BP) is a heritable determinant of risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD). To investigate genetic associations with systolic BP (SBP), diastolic BP (DBP), mean arterial pressure (MAP) and pulse pressure (PP), we genotyped 50 000 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) that capture variation in 2100 candidate genes for cardiovascular phenotypes in 61 619 individuals of European ancestry from cohort studies in the USA and Europe. We identified novel associations between rs347591 and SBP (chromosome 3p25.3, in an intron of HRH1) and between rs2169137 and DBP (chromosome1q32.1 in an intron of MDM4) and between rs2014408 and SBP (chromosome 11p15 in an intron of SOX6), previously reported to be associated with MAP. We also confirmed 10 previously known loci associated with SBP, DBP, MAP or PP (ADRB1, ATP2B1, SH2B3/ATXN2, CSK, CYP17A1, FURIN, HFE, LSP1, MTHFR, SOX6) at array-wide significance (P 2.4 10(6)). We then replicated these associations in an independent set of 65 886 individuals of European ancestry. The findings from expression QTL (eQTL) analysis showed associations of SNPs in the MDM4 region with MDM4 expression. We did not find any evidence of association of the two novel SNPs in MDM4 and HRH1 with sequelae of high BP including coronary artery disease (CAD), left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) or stroke. In summary, we identified two novel loci associated with BP and confirmed multiple previously reported associations. Our findings extend our understanding of genes involved in BP regulation, some of which may eventually provide new targets for therapeutic intervention.
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| 31. |
- Gao, Zhaoju, et al.
(author)
-
Short-chain ligand achieves ultra-stable CsPbX3 perovskite quantum dots for white light-emitting diodes
- 2024
-
In: Applied Physics Letters. - : American Institute of Physics (AIP). - 0003-6951 .- 1077-3118. ; 124:4
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- All-inorganic perovskite quantum dots (PeQDs) have aroused great research interest in white light-emitting diodes (WLED) due to their excellent optoelectronic properties, but the poor stability, caused by dynamically binding long-chain capping ligands, hinders their future practical applications. To address this issue, here, we exploit short-chain butyric acid (BA) to replace long-chain oleic acid (OA) as capping ligand of CsPbX3 PeQDs by a hot-injection method. The addition of BA not only makes the morphology of CsPbBr3 PeQDs uniform and improves the crystallinity but also effectively suppresses nonradiative recombination, achieving a near unit photoluminescence quantum yield of 96%. The BA capped CsPbBr3 PeQDs exhibit high stability up to 180 d stored in ambient environment and also significantly improved resistance against polar solvent, ultra-violet lamp irradiation, and heat, which is rationalized by the strong binding capacity and shortened distance of BA to the PeQDs through ab initio calculations. Furthermore, by combining green-emission CsPbBr3 and red-emission CsPbBr0.8I2.2 PeQDs with blue GaN chip, we achieved WLEDs with excellent luminous properties, showing their great potential in practical application of wide-color-gamut display and lighting.
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| 32. |
- Huang, Xin, et al.
(author)
-
Mixed traffic flow microscopic control model at intersections
- 2023
-
In: Kongzhi Lilun Yu Yinyong/Control Theory and Applications. ; 40:10, s. 1851-1862
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- In order to construct the traffic mechanism and control method of the intersection under the mixed traffic of connected and autonomous vehicles (CAV) and human drive vehicles (HDV), the paper proposed a cooperative traffic model for intersections under the conditions of CAV dedicated lanes. First, an intersection layout under the condition of CAV dedicated lanes is designed, and the intersection space is grid-processed. The occupancy of a particular part of the grid at the intersection for a certain period by the CAV and HDV is unified under the intersection space-time resource description framework. Second, a space-time resource allocation model is established considering both CAV and HDV. An adaptive signal light control algorithm and a CAV trajectory planning algorithm are proposed. Third, adaptive signal light timing and CAV trajectory are optimized to achieve minimum vehicle delay. Finally, the effectiveness of the proposed method is verified by selecting a typical intersection in Guangzhou to establish a simulation experiment.
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| 33. |
- Li, Pei, et al.
(author)
-
Adaptive Volume Control in Titanium Alloy for High Temperature Performance
- 2019
-
In: Materials. - : MDPI. - 1996-1944. ; 12:23
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- With the increase of time, the shrinkage of materials at fixed temperature could enhance the failure of fasteners. We report a potential way to alter the volume/length of alloy automatically through isothermal aging due to pseudospinodal decomposition mechanism. The volume of Ti-10V-2Fe-3Al alloy first shrunk and then expanded during isothermal aging at 550 degrees C. It can fit tightly and make up for volume loss. Transmission electron microscopy observation exhibits no obvious coarsening of intragranular alpha phase with the increasing time. However, composition evolution with time shows a gradual change through energy dispersive spectrometer analysis. The result shows that beta stabilizers, V and Fe, are prone to diffuse to the beta matrix, while alpha stabilizers, Al, prefer to segregate to the alpha phase. First principle calculations suggest that the structure transition for beta to alpha cause the first decrease of volume, and the diffusion of V, Fe and Al is the origin of the later abnormal increase of volume.
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| 34. |
- Li, Pei, et al.
(author)
-
Secondary hardening behavior in Ti alloy
- 2019
-
In: Materials Science & Engineering. - : Elsevier. - 0921-5093 .- 1873-4936. ; 759, s. 640-647
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- We report the existence of secondary hardening behavior in Ti-10V-2Fe-3Al (wt.%) (Ti-1023) for the first time. Through controlling the ageing temperature window between 550 degrees C and 575 degrees C, alloys are found to show the existence of two hardness peaks with aging time. This heat treatment with secondary hardening phenomenon exhibits unusual increase of hardness and strength. Further experimental observations show that the first hardness peak corresponds with the well precipitated alpha phase at very short time. Further increase of aging time does not influence the morphology of these intragranular alpha precipitates, but accompanying with a continuous composition change, which could be the origin of the secondary hardness peak. This structure change followed by composition diffusion is the typical characteristic of pseudospinodal mechanism. Phase field and ab-initio calculations based on pseudospinodal mechanism analyze the detailed microstructure/composition evolution and related solid solution strength, which confirm the role of composition on the appearance of secondary hardening behavior.
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| 35. |
- Liang, Pu-Lin, et al.
(author)
-
Three polymethoxyflavones from the peel of Citrus reticulata "Chachi" inhibits oxidized low-density lipoprotein-induced macrophage-derived foam cell formation
- 2022
-
In: Frontiers in Cardiovascular Medicine. - : Frontiers Media S.A.. - 2297-055X. ; 9
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Foam cell formation is the hallmark of the development and progression of atherosclerosis. The aim of this study was to investigate the regulatory effects of three polymethoxyflavones (PMFs), namely, tangeretin (TAN), 5,6,7,3 ',4 ',5 '-hexamethoxyflavone (HxMF), and 3,5,6,7,8,3 ',4 '-heptamethoxyflavone (HpMF) on macrophage-derived foam cell formation and to further explore the molecular mechanisms. The RAW264.7 macrophage-derived foam cell model was successfully induced by oxidized low-density lipoprotein (ox-LDL) (80 mu g/ml). It showed that TAN, HxMF, and HpMF alleviated ox-LDL-induced NO release while also inhibiting the expression of IL-1 beta, IL-6, and TNF-alpha in RAW264.7 cells. Uptake of excess ox-LDL was inhibited by TAN, HxMF, and HpMF, resulting in the reduction of its foam cell formation. Moreover, TAN, HxMF, and HpMF promoted HDL-mediated cholesterol efflux. Western blot experiment showed that TAN, HxMF, and HpMF inhibited the expression of scavenger receptor class A type I (SRA1) and cluster of differentiation 36 (CD36), while upregulating peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPAR gamma), liver X receptor alpha (LXR alpha), phospholipid ATP-binding cassette transporter G1 (ABCG1), and scavenger receptor class B type I (SRB1) expression. Together, our findings suggested that PMFs inhibited foam cell formation might inhibit lipid uptake via downregulating SRA1/CD36 expression and promote cholesterol efflux from foam cells via upregulating PPAR gamma/LXR alpha/ABCG1/SRB1 expression. This antiatherosclerotic activity is expected to provide new insights into the development of healthcare uses for PMFs.
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| 36. |
- Lin, Lien-Hsuan, et al.
(author)
-
HYDRODYNAMICAL SIMULATIONS OF THE BARRED SPIRAL GALAXY NGC 1097
- 2013
-
In: Astrophysical Journal. - 0004-637X. ; 771:1
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- NGC 1097 is a nearby barred spiral galaxy believed to be interacting with the elliptical galaxy NGC 1097A located to its northwest. It hosts a Seyfert 1 nucleus surrounded by a circumnuclear starburst ring. Two straight dust lanes connected to the ring extend almost continuously out to the bar. The other ends of the dust lanes attach to two main spiral arms. To provide a physical understanding of its structural and kinematical properties, two-dimensional hydrodynamical simulations have been carried out. Numerical calculations reveal that many features of the gas morphology and kinematics can be reproduced provided that the gas flow is governed by a gravitational potential associated with a slowly rotating strong bar. By including the self-gravity of the gas disk in our calculation, we have found the starburst ring to be gravitationally unstable, which is consistent with the observation in Hsieh et al. Our simulations show that the gas inflow rate is 0.17 M-circle dot yr(-1) into the region within the starburst ring even after its formation, leading to the coexistence of both a nuclear ring and a circumnuclear disk.
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| 37. |
- Lin, Peiqun, et al.
(author)
-
Bus timetable optimization model in response to the diverse and uncertain requirements of passengers for travel comfort
- 2023
-
In: Electronic Research Archive. - : American Institute of Mathematical Sciences (AIMS). - 2688-1594. ; 31:4, s. 2315-2336
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Most existing public transit systems have a fixed dispatching and service mode, which cannot effectively allocate resources from the perspective of the interests of all participants, resulting in resource waste and dissatisfaction. Low passenger satisfaction leads to a considerable loss of bus passengers and further reduces the income of bus operators. This study develops an optimization model for bus schedules that considers vehicle types and offers two service levels based on heterogeneous passenger demands. In this process, passenger satisfaction, bus company income, and government subsidies are considered. A bilevel model is proposed with a lower-level passenger ride simulation model and an upper-level multiobjective optimization model to maximize the interests of bus companies, passengers, and the government. To verify the effectiveness of the proposed methodology, a real-world case from Guangzhou is presented and analyzed using the nondominated sorting genetic algorithm-II (NSGA-II), and the related Pareto front is obtained. The results show that the proposed bus operation system can effectively increase the benefits for bus companies, passengers, and the government
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| 38. |
- Lin, Peiqun, et al.
(author)
-
Data-driven spatial-temporal analysis of highway traffic volume considering weather and festival impacts
- 2022
-
In: Travel Behaviour and Society. - : Elsevier BV. - 2214-367X. ; 29, s. 95-112
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- This paper aims to discover the relationships among the weather, holidays, and the traffic volume using multisource data from the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) and to reveal the corresponding regional spatial–temporal traffic and migration patterns. Using accurate hourly weather and traffic volume data, this study examines the traffic volume from the origin to the destination county by considering traffic factors, weather factors, and temporal factors. A Random-effect regression model and a random forest model are established to analyze the above factors and identify the factors that contribute to the annual variation in traffic patterns. An RER + RF fusion prediction model based on ridge regression is proposed to predict the hourly traffic volume from origin to destination county, and is adopted in the spatial–temporal submodels. The results show that the impact of rainfall on traffic volume varies as the rainfall varies, and a rain-induced traffic pattern shift towards highway travel is found, which interacts with the negative effect of rainfall on highway traffic volumes. The Spring Festival holiday witnesses a V-shaped traffic volume curve during the study period. Some traffic pattern differences are also found in different spatial–temporal submodels. The RER + RF fusion model performs better in predicting in parent model and most of the spatial–temporal submodels, which validates the proposed model in predicting the traffic volume. The findings can provide transport agencies, urban planning agencies, and urban agglomeration travelers with valuable information for highway transport activity analysis considering the effects of weather and festival events.
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| 39. |
- Lin, Peiqun, et al.
(author)
-
Multiple Emergency Vehicle Priority in a Connected Vehicle Environment: A Cooperative Method
- 2024
-
In: IEEE Transactions on Intelligent Transportation Systems. - 1524-9050 .- 1558-0016. ; 25:1, s. 173-188
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Since emergency vehicles (EMVs) in urban transit systems play a crucial role in responding to time-critical events, the quick response of EMVs is essential for improving the success rate of rescue operations and minimizing property loss. Booming connected vehicle (CV) technology provides a new perspective to further enhance the effectiveness of EMV priority. Based on this CV technology, we propose a cooperative multiple EMV priority model in which the speed, acceleration, and lane changing actions of both the EMVs and surrounding ordinary vehicles (OVs) are set as decision variables. This proposed model is rigorously formulated in integer linear programming to maximize the EMV traffic efficiency and find a trade-off between the interference with normal traffic flows and the smoothness of the EMV driving trajectories. Two customized algorithms are developed to reduce the number of decision variables and constraints to obtain the better feasible solution in an acceptable computational time. A numerical experiment based on real-world data is proposed to further verify the utility and effectiveness of the aforementioned mathematical model. The customized algorithms achieve near-exact solutions with significantly faster computation compared to the benchmark solver. The robustness of the proposed model is tested with different parameter settings in the sensitivity analysis.
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| 40. |
- Lin, Pei-yan, et al.
(author)
-
Catalytic purification of car exhausts over cobalt- and copper-based metal oxides promoted with platinum and rhodium
- 1995
-
In: Applied Catalysis B: Environmental. - : Elsevier BV. - 0926-3373 .- 1873-3883. ; 6:3, s. 237-319
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- 25 Alumina-and silica-supported oxide-based catalysts were prepared, with the overall metal composition La(0.45)Sr(0.15)Ce(0.35)Zr(0.05)M(1.0) (M=Co or Cu) and promoted with 0-0.5 mg Pt-Rh per gram catalyst. The catalysts were evaluated with respect to light-off temperatures and redox characteristics, using NO/CO/C3H6/O2/N2 gas mixtures to simulate car exhaust. The activities for complete oxidation of propene and carbon monoxide increased with increasing content of metal oxides and noble metals. The catalysts were characterized by X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) combined with energy-dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) analysis, temperature-programmed reduction (TPR), and specific surface area measurements (BET). SEM/TEM/XRD revealed that the alumina-supported catalysts contained well dispersed oxides of the added elements, whereas the silica-supported catalysts contained significantly larger particles of the copper or cobalt oxides, The TPR peak for reduction of cobalt oxide shifted toward lower temperatures with increasing content of Pt-Rh, indicating hydrogen spill-over from the noble metals to the cobalt oxide. The catalytic activity of the Co-based oxides supported on alumina and promoted with 0.49 mg Pt-Rh per gram catalysts was comparable to the activity of a commercial three-way catalyst (TWC), containing more than 4 times as much Pt-Rh.
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| 41. |
- Liu, Hong, et al.
(author)
-
Variant selection of primary–secondary extension twin pairs in magnesium : An analytical calculation study
- 2021
-
In: Acta Materialia. - : Elsevier BV. - 1359-6454 .- 1873-2453. ; 219, s. 1-19
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Twining is an important deformation mode in magnesium. In a deformed magnesium sample, an extension twin crystal, i.e., {101¯2} twin, can form inside a {101¯2} primary twin, which is named {101¯2}–{101¯2} secondary twin. These secondary twins often appear at the intersection of two primary twins, and form primary–secondary twin pairs. Experimental observations show that the most frequently observed primary–secondary twin pairs have a unique misorientation, i.e., twin variant selection exists. Such variant selection of the primary–secondary twin pairs is studied in this work. The crystallographic analysis reveals that the twin planes of the primary and secondary twins that form a twin pair have coincident intersection lines with the boundary where the twin pair adjoins. An analytical calculation method based on Eshelby's inclusion theory is developed, and the calculation results show that only for this unique misorientation, the stress fields concentrated at the rims of the primary and the secondary twins are mutually favoured. The analysis is further extended to the incoming–outgoing twin pairs across ordinary grain boundaries, and compared with the commonly used geometrical compatibility factor m′. It is found that m′ only gives good prediction for twin transmission when the shear stress component on the twin plane along the twin shear direction of the incoming twin is the major contributor to the resolved shear stress of the outgoing twin. When other stress components play a dominant role, m′ becomes ineffective in prediction, which is the case for the primary–secondary twin pairs.
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| 42. |
- Liu, Xin, et al.
(author)
-
Plasma metabolites mediate the association of coarse grain intake with blood pressure in hypertension-free adults
- 2020
-
In: Nutrition, Metabolism and Cardiovascular Diseases. - : Elsevier BV. - 0939-4753 .- 1590-3729. ; 30:9, s. 1512-1519
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Increased intake of whole/coarse grains was associated with improved blood pressure control, but concurrent metabolism alterations are less clear. We sought to identify metabolomic profiles of blood pressure, and to explore their mediation effects on the coarse grain intake-blood pressure association among young adults free of hypertension. Methods and results: Plasma metabolome of 86 participants from the Carbohydrate Alternatives and Metabolic Phenotypes study was characterized by untargeted lipidomics and metabolomics using liquid chromatography–high-resolution mass spectrometry. We identified 24 and 117 metabolites associated with systolic blood pressure (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP), respectively, using random forest modeling and partial correlation analysis. Moreover, metabolite panels for highly specific prediction of blood pressure (8 metabolites for SBP and 11 metabolites for DBP) were determined using ten-fold cross-validated ridge regression (R2 ≥ 0.70). We also observed an inverse association between metabolite panel of SBP (β ± SE = −0.02 ± 0.01, P = 0.04) or DBP (β ± SE = −0.03 ± 0.01, P = 0.02) and coarse grain intake. Furthermore, we observed significant mediating effects of metabolites, in particular, sphingolipid ceramides, on the association between coarse grain exposure and blood pressure using both bias-corrected bootstrap tests and high-dimensional mediation analysis adapted for large-scale and high-throughput omics data. Conclusions: We identified metabolomic profiles specifically associated with blood pressure in young Chinese adults without diagnosed hypertension. The inverse association between coarse grain intake and blood pressure may be mediated by sphingolipid metabolites.
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| 43. |
- Lozano, Rafael, et al.
(author)
-
Measuring progress from 1990 to 2017 and projecting attainment to 2030 of the health-related Sustainable Development Goals for 195 countries and territories: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2017
- 2018
-
In: The Lancet. - : Elsevier. - 1474-547X .- 0140-6736. ; 392:10159, s. 2091-2138
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Background: Efforts to establish the 2015 baseline and monitor early implementation of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) highlight both great potential for and threats to improving health by 2030. To fully deliver on the SDG aim of “leaving no one behind”, it is increasingly important to examine the health-related SDGs beyond national-level estimates. As part of the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study 2017 (GBD 2017), we measured progress on 41 of 52 health-related SDG indicators and estimated the health-related SDG index for 195 countries and territories for the period 1990–2017, projected indicators to 2030, and analysed global attainment. Methods: We measured progress on 41 health-related SDG indicators from 1990 to 2017, an increase of four indicators since GBD 2016 (new indicators were health worker density, sexual violence by non-intimate partners, population census status, and prevalence of physical and sexual violence [reported separately]). We also improved the measurement of several previously reported indicators. We constructed national-level estimates and, for a subset of health-related SDGs, examined indicator-level differences by sex and Socio-demographic Index (SDI) quintile. We also did subnational assessments of performance for selected countries. To construct the health-related SDG index, we transformed the value for each indicator on a scale of 0–100, with 0 as the 2·5th percentile and 100 as the 97·5th percentile of 1000 draws calculated from 1990 to 2030, and took the geometric mean of the scaled indicators by target. To generate projections through 2030, we used a forecasting framework that drew estimates from the broader GBD study and used weighted averages of indicator-specific and country-specific annualised rates of change from 1990 to 2017 to inform future estimates. We assessed attainment of indicators with defined targets in two ways: first, using mean values projected for 2030, and then using the probability of attainment in 2030 calculated from 1000 draws. We also did a global attainment analysis of the feasibility of attaining SDG targets on the basis of past trends. Using 2015 global averages of indicators with defined SDG targets, we calculated the global annualised rates of change required from 2015 to 2030 to meet these targets, and then identified in what percentiles the required global annualised rates of change fell in the distribution of country-level rates of change from 1990 to 2015. We took the mean of these global percentile values across indicators and applied the past rate of change at this mean global percentile to all health-related SDG indicators, irrespective of target definition, to estimate the equivalent 2030 global average value and percentage change from 2015 to 2030 for each indicator. Findings: The global median health-related SDG index in 2017 was 59·4 (IQR 35·4–67·3), ranging from a low of 11·6 (95% uncertainty interval 9·6–14·0) to a high of 84·9 (83·1–86·7). SDG index values in countries assessed at the subnational level varied substantially, particularly in China and India, although scores in Japan and the UK were more homogeneous. Indicators also varied by SDI quintile and sex, with males having worse outcomes than females for non-communicable disease (NCD) mortality, alcohol use, and smoking, among others. Most countries were projected to have a higher health-related SDG index in 2030 than in 2017, while country-level probabilities of attainment by 2030 varied widely by indicator. Under-5 mortality, neonatal mortality, maternal mortality ratio, and malaria indicators had the most countries with at least 95% probability of target attainment. Other indicators, including NCD mortality and suicide mortality, had no countries projected to meet corresponding SDG targets on the basis of projected mean values for 2030 but showed some probability of attainment by 2030. For some indicators, including child malnutrition, several infectious diseases, and most violence measures, the annualised rates of change required to meet SDG targets far exceeded the pace of progress achieved by any country in the recent past. We found that applying the mean global annualised rate of change to indicators without defined targets would equate to about 19% and 22% reductions in global smoking and alcohol consumption, respectively; a 47% decline in adolescent birth rates; and a more than 85% increase in health worker density per 1000 population by 2030. Interpretation: The GBD study offers a unique, robust platform for monitoring the health-related SDGs across demographic and geographic dimensions. Our findings underscore the importance of increased collection and analysis of disaggregated data and highlight where more deliberate design or targeting of interventions could accelerate progress in attaining the SDGs. Current projections show that many health-related SDG indicators, NCDs, NCD-related risks, and violence-related indicators will require a concerted shift away from what might have driven past gains—curative interventions in the case of NCDs—towards multisectoral, prevention-oriented policy action and investments to achieve SDG aims. Notably, several targets, if they are to be met by 2030, demand a pace of progress that no country has achieved in the recent past. The future is fundamentally uncertain, and no model can fully predict what breakthroughs or events might alter the course of the SDGs. What is clear is that our actions—or inaction—today will ultimately dictate how close the world, collectively, can get to leaving no one behind by 2030.
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| 44. |
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| 45. |
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| 46. |
- Pei, Cuiying, et al.
(author)
-
Quasi 3D polymerization in C60 bilayers in a fullerene solvate
- 2017
-
In: Carbon. - : Elsevier. - 0008-6223 .- 1873-3891. ; 124, s. 499-505
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The polymerization of fullerenes has been an interesting topic for almost three decades. A rich polymeric phase diagram of C60 has been drawn under a variety of pressure-temperature conditions. However, only linear or perpendicular linkages of C60 are found in the ordered phases. Here we used a unique bilayer structural solvate, C60∙1,1,2-trichloroethane (C60∙1TCAN), to generate a novel quasi-3D C60 polymer under high pressure and/or high temperature. Using Raman, IR spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction, we observe that the solvent molecules play a crucial role in confining the [2+2] cycloaddition bonds of C60s forming in the upper and lower layers alternately. The relatively long distance between the two bilayers restricts the covalent linkage extended in a single individual bilayer. Our studies not only enrich the phase diagram of polymeric C60, but also facilitate targeted design and synthesis of unique C60 polymers.
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| 47. |
- Pei, Lin, et al.
(author)
-
Climate variability or anthropogenic emissions: which caused Beijing Haze?
- 2020
-
In: Environmental Research Letters. - : IOP Publishing. - 1748-9318 .- 1748-9326. ; 15:3
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- © 2020 The Author(s). Published by IOP Publishing Ltd. Beijing Haze has been phenomenal, especially for winter, and widely considered a result of the increasing anthropogenic emissions of atmospheric pollutants in the region. Since 2013, the pollutant emissions have been reduced with the help of a series of emission-control actions. However, severe haze events still occurred frequently in Beijing in recent winters, e.g., those of 2015 and 2016, implying that other factors such as meteorological conditions and interannual climate variability have also played an important role in forming the haze. Based on homogenized station observations, atmospheric circulation reanalysis and anthropogenic emissions data for the period 1980-2017, this paper attempts to quantify the relative importance of anthropogenic emissions and climatic conditions to the frequency and intensity of Beijing Haze in winter. It is found that the frequency (number) of hazy days exhibits large interannual variability and little trend, and its variations were mainly controlled by climate variability, with a correlation coefficient of 0.77. On the other hand, the intensity of haze displays strong interannual variability and a significant increasing trend during 1980-2012 and a notable decreasing trend during 2012-2017. The multiple linear regression model suggests that about half of the total variance of the haze intensity is explained by climate variability (mainly for interannual variations), and another half by the changing emissions (mainly for the trends).
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| 48. |
- Pei, Xilong, et al.
(author)
-
RIS-Aided Wireless Communications : Prototyping, Adaptive Beamforming, and Indoor/Outdoor Field Trials
- 2021
-
In: IEEE Transactions on Communications. - : Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). - 0090-6778 .- 1558-0857. ; 69:12, s. 8627-8640
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The prospects of using a Reconfigurable Intelligent Surface (RIS) to aid wireless communication systems have recently received much attention from academia and industry. Most papers make theoretical studies based on elementary models, while the prototyping of RIS-aided wireless communication and real-world field trials are scarce. In this paper, we describe a new RIS prototype consisting of 1100 controllable elements working at 5.8 GHz band. We propose an efficient algorithm for configuring the RIS over the air by exploiting the geometrical array properties and a practical receiver-RIS feedback link. In our indoor test, where the transmitter and receiver are separated by a 30 cm thick concrete wall, our RIS prototype provides a 26 dB power gain compared to the baseline case where the RIS is replaced by a copper plate. A 27 dB power gain was observed in the short-distance outdoor measurement. We also carried out long-distance measurements and successfully transmitted a 32 Mbps data stream over 500 m. A 1080p video was live-streamed and it only played smoothly when the RIS was utilized. The power consumption of the RIS is around 1 W. Our paper is vivid proof that the RIS is a very promising technology for future wireless communications.
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| 49. |
- Rundgren, Carl-Johan, 1973-, et al.
(author)
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Are you SLiM? Developing an instrument for civic scientific literacy measurement(SLiM) based on media coverage
- 2012
-
In: Public Understanding of Science. - : SAGE Publications. - 0963-6625 .- 1361-6609. ; 21:6, s. 759-773
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The purpose of this study is to develop an instrument to assess civic scientific literacy in media (SLiM). A total of 50 multiple-choice items were developed based on the 95 most common scientific terms appearing in media covering the subjects of biology (45.26%, 22 items), earth science (37.90%, 19 items), physics (11.58%, 6 items) and chemistry (5.26%, 3 items) in Taiwan. A total of 1034 students from three distinct groups (7th graders, 10th graders and undergraduates) were invited to participate in this study. The reliability of this instrument was 0.86 (KR20). The average difficulty of the SLiM ranged from 0.19 to 0.91, and the discrimination power is 0.1 to 0.59. According to participants’ performances on SLiM, it was revealed that 10th graders (Mean = 37.3±4.2) performed better than undergraduates (Mean = 33.0±5.5) and 7th graders (Mean = 26.7±8.3) with significant differences (p< .05).
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- Sebhatu, Samuel Petros, 1972-, et al.
(author)
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What is Governance? The Ethical Dilemma for Leaders and Managers : Multiple Case Studies of Corruption from China
- 2016
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In: IRSSM-6. - Amsterdam : Elsevier. ; , s. 467-474
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Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The objective of the paper is to look deeper on how these emergent and fast growing factors affect the relationship between ethical dilemma and governance in a newly industrialised country from the corruption and bribery aspect. The paper is explorative in nature. It identifies the need for new governance thinking, based on stakeholder and stewardship theories and transparency as well as its impacts in reducing corruption. The empirical study involves multiple qualitative case studies of multinational corporations of transparency and governance in China (5 cases of multinational companies, and 1 corporate governance code). In this paper, we are not arguing on the role of governance as a control or reporting initiative for corruption, but its role to shun institutional weakness in reducing corruption and resource integration. The study will reveal the challenges of transforming the role of governance in fighting corruption. Strong governance system is a vital component of company efforts to reinforce the right incentives and practices and to address the corrupted practices that they confront and defy ethical dilemma. Governance takes account of all the interests that affect the viability, competence and moral character of an enterprise. Thus, the present results indicate, not only the positive relationship between governance and corruption, but also reveal the characteristics of dynamic governance thinking within a broader governance framework for developing values based service business. Future research in this area should focus on generalizing the present findings by studying the development and integration of governance and clearing the dilemma in other empirical settings and conceptualization, for instance developed economies. (C) 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.
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